Two-speed timer



Feb. 2, 19 54 E. J. DOYLE 2,667,921

TWO-SPEED TIMER Filed Sept. 20, 1951 F/G.5 F/GG 22 /4 2.3262824 28603824 3nnergtor EDWAPDJ DOYLE ttornegs Patented Feb. 2, 1954 TWO-SPEEDTIMER Edward J. Doyle, Hartford, Conn., assignor to M. H. RhodesIncorporated, Hartford, Conn., a

corporation of Delaware Application September 20, 1951, Serial No.247,389

8 Claims.

This invention relates to clockwork mechanisms and to timers and moreparticularly to improvements in multi-speed timers.

By timers is meant a mechanism of the type generally used to measure apreselected time interval. A multi-speed timer is a timer capable ofoperation at more than one speed, i. e., the timer may be set to operateat a relatively high speed so as to measure intervals up to one maximumand the timer may also be set to operate at a slower speed so as tomeasure intervals up to a greater maximum.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a simple, compact,and economical timer construction capable of operation at a plurality ofspeeds and having means for preventing time setting and measuringerrors.

Another object of the invention is to provide a multi-speed timer havingeasily settable speed selecting means and easily and accurately settableinterval selecting and measuring means each of which is readily visibleto indicate to even the most casual observer the selected position ofthe timer.

Other objects willbe in part obvious and in part pointed out more indetail hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will beexemplified in the construction hereafter set forth and the scope of theapplication of which will be indicated in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of an interval timer which embodiesthe principles of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view, on reduced scale, of the dialincorporated in the construction shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the mechanism shown in Fig. l with thefront portion of the encasement shown in cross section so as to revealelements of the clockwork mechanism;

Fig. 4 is a view taken along the line 4 4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view of the clockwork mechanism showing detailsof the escapement included in the mechanism;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 but showing elements of theescapement in operative positions other than those shown in Fig. 5; and

Fig. '7 is an enlarged horizontal cross-sectional view of the frontportion of the timer.

For purposes of exemplification, the timer illustrated in the drawingsis of the type which includes a clockworks and which is mounted upon apanel I I which may comprise a part of a household appliance, industrialmechanism, or otherwise. The panel supports a face plate l0 and dial l2adjacent its front surface and a conventional setting knob or pointer I3is arranged to be manually set in relation to the face plate and dialand to be mechanically driven by a clockwork mechanism M mounted withina bell l5 disposed rearwardly of the panel I I. The open end of the bellis closed by a cover and clockworks frame support It which is attachedto the panel by means which will be described hereinafter.

The clockworks i4 is the spring wound type and includes a winding arbor20 connected to a main spring 2| and extending through the frame supportIt to the front of the panel and face plate to receive the setting knobI3. When the knob [3 has been moved clockwise, as viewed in Fig. 1, toeffect a setting of the timer, the main spring 2| is energized therebyto set into operation a gear train 22 which is operatively associatedwith the winding arbor 29 to return the arbor and setting knob to theoriginal at rest position.

The gear train or time train 22 comprises a plurality of intermeshedgear wheels and pinions supported by staffs pivoted between front andrear frame plates 23 and 25. The gear train drives an escape wheel 24 ata relatively rapid rate and a retarding member or clutter 26 ispivotally mounted adjacent the escape wheel to retard the movementthereof and prevent too rapid dissipation of power of the wound mainspring. The clutter 26 has a pair of ears 28 at its opposite ends whichalternately engage the teeth of the escape wheel 24 in the manner ofpallet pins in a conventional escapement. Thus,

the clutter oscillates at a rate which is propor-' tional to its massand the driving force imposed thereon by the escape wheel. The mass ofthe clutter, of course, determines its moment of inertia and if theclutter inertia is small compared to the driving force of the escapewheel, the clutter will oscillate at a rapid rate and the main springwill dissipate its power at a relatively rapid rate. The moment ofinertia of the clutter may be varied according to its mass and in theassembly disclosed, the mass of the clutter is selected so as to permitthe main spring to dissipate its power in 6 minutes from the fully woundposition. Accordingly then, if the setting knob I3 is manually rotatedone complete revolution, it will take 6 minutes for the knob to berotated at rest or starting position.

The aforedescribed timer mechanism is rendered capable of operation attwo speeds by the incorporation of additional retarding mechanismindicated generally by reference numeral 30. The retarding mechanism 30is arranged to be selectively shifted between an inoperative positionand an operative position wherein the escape wheel 24 will be engaged bythe retarding mechanism in much the same manner in which the clutter 2Gengages.the..escape...wheel. The idetails-of constructionbf theretarding mechanism fiil will be described hereinafter but it should beunderstood that the retarding mechanism is arranged to re-.: tard thetime train so that the main spring will dissipate its power from amaximum wound position to the unwound condition in 1 hour... In otherwords, when both the mechanismi'3H- and\l5 the clutter 26 are retardingthe escape wh'eelfit". will take 1 hour for the setting knob l3 to bemechanically returned one revolution .to :thei atrest or startingposition.

A pair of timing disks .32--34 are supported by 2 the arbor 2!! at theend thereof opposite the setting'knob 'li, 'soth'at the=disks aredisposed rearwardly of the'frame=25 and'within=the"bell 55.- The disk 32'is affixed-to the-arbor 28 for rotation therewith andthe disk 34 isrotatable relative thereto 1 a I limited amount determined by a pin andslot lostmotion connection 35 between the disks.: Each of the disksis'provided with a pe rip'heral notch 38 to accommodate a pin proje'ctin'g'fromabar- 42 pivotally supported'on the 30 reap-frame-plate25?A spring 4| secured'to a post 'on-the frame pl-ate 25 is attachedto thebar 42 so asto-pivot the same towards the disks 32 and 34, wherebythe'pin AU will"be--biased into the notc'h: The upper end'oi thebarflzis ar- 3 ranged to thrust againsta clapper 43 pivotally mountedbni 'theframe" support 16 i and when the pinT isLdisposed within-the'disknotches 38,-" the clapper 43 is supportedin an uppermost position.

Int-setting the timerto measure a preselected 4 interval, thesetting-knob "I3 is rotated. (clockwiseinFFlg'ure" '1 )2 whereby thearbor and timer disks are"?a1so. rotated so as-to cam the 'pin 46 out'ofnotches1s38- so that the pin will"'engage the peripheryf'ofithe.:di'sks;tr: When' 'the timer is under thesmechanica-lz. control" of-rthe 1 main spring f the disks are' rotated 1 withf'the. 'arborin theopposite directionito return thes n'otches --to' registry with'theipinzdoiwhereupon the spring M snaps the-pin inter the :notchesxvTheisnapsactionf-of the bar thrusts :the' freely/pivoted i 1' clapp er-'upwardly so thattthe :same will" engage :the :bell 5 to give"anaudible. signal Sat "completion of the time interval: Thusthezsignaleis sounded when -the setting knobvi3- is'returnedio thefatrest or start K5 ing position. a g

Td'rningmow toi'the :ret'arding mechanism '3 5 attention :is r directedrto-tPa-tent 52543 .032; issued- February r27;195B,':to1 Laviana whereinthere-is disbldsedzzshiftable retardingxmechanism generally. similar. tothe trrrechanism s0. The retarding 60 mechanism iincludessa palletmemben50 which ismounted'fdrimovement' toward and-from=engagementwith theescape -'-wheel' 24. The-pallet is supported on a staif "5l whichis'provided with a cuto1.1t-- "52 intermediate-theends thereof 'toprovide-cle'arance for passage of 'the. teeth of" the-'escape-wheel: The palletis provided with" a. pair-of "palletpins '53 which alternately engagethe"escape wheel .24When the-pallet is. shift.- 70 ed'towardi the ,same.for operativeeassociation therewithi The pins. 53 engage .the escapewheel teeth;similar. to the. ears 128-0f .theclutter 26 :so as to'retardthe speedbfatheiescapewheel and the .associated .timetrain 22. "wherebythe rateat 75 which the power of the main spring is dissipated ismaterially reduced.

The staff 51 which supports the pallet memher is supported at one end infixed bearing 5 in frame plate 25 and the other end of the staff 51 ispivotally supported in a shiftable bearing 55 which is mounted forsliding movement in a slot. 55in theiother frame iplatezii, The size ofthe slot Eii-Lof course governs :the movement of the bearing 55 thereinand thereby governs the movement of the pallet 50 toward and from theescape wheel 24.

Shifting of the bearing 55 is accomplished by a-lever51--which.is.piVoted between its ends on a pin5a7carried--.by-,=theframe plate 23. The inner-.endoftherlever. is forked as at 59 tostraddle the end of the shiftable bearing 55 which pro- J'ects'th-roughthedrame plate 23. The opposite endofthe lever is provided witha pin 60 which projects forwardly through a slot Si in the frame supportl6. Thus, movement of the piniSB within'the slotfil causes the lever 51to shift bearing.

5 understood that.thepallet.5iiioperativelyengages the escape wheelsimultaneouslywith. the clutter 26 so that it is the combined mass .andmoment of inertia ofthe. clutter and pallet which determines the.maximum time. intervalto .be measured 0 by. the aforedescribedJ-timermechanism.. Ac-

cordingly then, when the .palletfifl' is disengaged from theescape-wheel-fthe .timermechanism will.

measure a .maxirnumintervalof. time of. 6 min utes and when the pallet50 engages the escape.

wheel, thetimer. mechanism will measure a maximum intervalof .60 minutesIn. accordance. withmthei present. invention ineansare providedforconveniently shifting the retarding. mechanism vMitoselect. the rate ofoperation .of. the .timer. .and -.to readily. indicate the selected.condition of. the timer and to facilitate accurate setting ofwtheatimertomeasure the desired interval. The means referredtoabove includes the.dial llWl'liChrislTiOlll'ltEd for limited rotary movement.relativetorthepanel and face The: dial I2 is.

plate, as will appear hereinafter. provided with.a peripheral notch .65which straddles the lever. pin 50. projecting throughthe notch 6|provided in the frame support and through an aperture provided-inthe-panel. As will be notedfromthe drawings; the dial is disposedbetween. the front face of .the .panel and the face plate i9 isprovidedwithe a'plurality of evenly circumferentially spaced dial: viewingapertures 66. provided :with :diametricalhz; opposed notches 61 whichaccommodate movement of a pin 63 affixed to the dial i2 and extendingforwardlytherefrom. Thus; the pin 68imay be engaged or gripped by onesfingers to effect shifting of the dial. relative to the face plateandpanel. When the dial isshifted by moving the pin Slibetween theopposednotches 161, the side walls definingtheperipheralnotchviidengage, the lever pin 6!] so as to-move fthe samewithin the :slot -6i and The lowermost of these apertures 66a is' effectthe aforedescribed movement of the pallet 59 toward and from the escapewheel 24.

The dial is provided with two sets of numerical indicia 8i viewable insets through the face plate openings 56 corresponding to the position ofthe dial and the position of the pallet. The first set comprising thenumbers 1 to 6 is viewable when the pin 58 engages the righthand notch6'! which corresponds to the lowermost position of the lever pin tilwhereby the pallet 58 is disengaged and the timer may be set to amaximum interval of 6 minutes. When the pin 58 is in the lefthand notch6?, the set of indicia comprising the numbers 10 to 60 are viewable inthe openings 65 and the lever pin 53 is in the uppermost positionwhereby the pallet is engaged with the escape wheel to render the timercapable of a maximum setting of 60 minutes.

The dial is arranged to be shifted in the aforedescribed manner byproviding the same with an outwardly extending annular boss 'li) whichdefines a central opening H. The face plate 10 is provided with aperipheral flange 12 which engages the panel ii so as to space the faceplate therefrom and the face plate is also provided with an inwardlyfacing boss it having a generally cylindrical periphery l which fitswithin the dial opening H so as to journal the dial for rotationtherearound. However, rotation of the dial relative to the face plate islimited to the two viewable positions as described above.

The face plate boss 13 is provided with a central opening M whichreceives a forwardly extending threaded nipple 16 secured to the framesupport H6. The nipple l6 accommodates the forwardly extending end ofthe arbor 25 so that the setting knob and pointer I 3 may be securedthereto in any conventional manner. Thus, the settin knob is ispositioned to sweep the face plate and may be viewed in association withthe dial indicia to indicate the set position of the timer and toindicate the time remaining in a selected interval. To this end, theface plate may be provided with calibrations ll arranged between thedial viewing openings 66 for greater accuracy in setting and reading theinstrument.

The aforedescribed elements of the timer are secured in assembledrelation by threading a nut on the nipple 16 against the front surfaceof the face plate. The face plate is provided with a pair of rearwardlyextending ears (8 which engage within panel openings E9. The openings 19also receive cars 89 extending forwardly from the frame support It so asto engage against the face plate ears in side-by-side relation andthereby prevent rotation of the face plate and rotation of the framesupport relative to the panel.

Accordingly then, there is provided in accordance with the presentinvention a multi-speed timer having a dial which may be manuallyshifted to effect changes in the speed of operation of the timer and tosimultaneously change the viewable dial indicia whereby the timer may beaccurately set to measure a desired interval of time. The set conditionof the timer as to speed of operation and as to the selected intervalwill be apparent to even a casual observer whereby errors inconditioning the timer and in setting the timer are substantiallyeliminated.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and manyapparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be madewithout departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all mattercontained in the above 6 description or shown in the accompanyingdrawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limitingsense.

It is also to be understood that the language used in the followingclaims is intended to cover all of the generic and specific features ofthe invention herein described and all statements of the scope of theinvention which, as a matter of language, might be said to falltherebetween.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination with a timer having means for shifting the operatingspeed thereof, a movably mounted dial having a plurality of sets ofindicia thereon, means interengaging said dial and speed shiftin meansto move said shifting means from one operative position to another whensaid dial is moved a predetermined amount, a face plate covering saiddial and having a plurality of spaced apart apertures, and manuallyoperable means associated with said dial for moving the same relative tosaid face plate whereby said indicia may be brought into registry withsaid face plate apertures in sets and said interengagin means will causethe speed shifting means to be moved into the operative positioncorresponding to the set of indicia in registry with the face plateapertures.

2. In combination with a timer having means for shifting the operatingspeed thereof from a relatively fast rate to a relatively slow rate, arotatably mounted dial having two sets of indicia thereon, one of saidsets of indicia representing a period of time corresponding to said fastrate of speed and the other of said sets representing a period of timecorresponding to said slow rate of speed, a face plate covering saiddial and having a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart apertures,means operatively connecting said dial and the speed shifting means andmanually operable means on said dial for rotating the same relative tosaid face plate whereby said indicia may be brought into registry withsaid apertures in sets.

3. In combination with a timer having means for shifting the operatingspeed thereof, a rotatably mounted dial having circumferentially spacedapart indicia arranged in sets along one side face thereof, a face platecovering said dial and having a plurality of circumferentially spacedapart apertures, means operatively connecting said dial and the speedshifting means, and manually operable means associated with said dialfor rotating the same relative to said face plate whereby said indiciaregister with said apertures in sets corresponding to the speed ofoperation of the timer.

4. In combination with a timer having means for shifting the speed ofoperation thereof including an actuating lever, a rotatably mounted dialhaving circumferentially spaced indicia arranged in sets along one sideface thereof and having a peripheral notch straddling the actuatinglever, a face plate covering said dial and having a plurality ofcircumferentially spaced apart apertures, and manually operable meansassociated with said dial for rotating the same relative to said faceplate to shift the actuating lever whereby said indicia register withsaid apertures in sets corresponding to the speed of operation of thetimer. 1

5. In combination a timer of the type having a clockwork mechanismmounted on a frame and having control means for changing the speed ofoperation of the mechanism, a face plate se- 7'31" curedinmpacederelation; orsaidrframepsaidrface: plate havingnavcirculanboss;adjacent theiframe; a 1 generally annular dial interposed:betweenrsaidfaceplate andsaid frame and-journaledon said bossn said: dial-havingindiciacircumferentially spaceclqalong one side face thereof andarranged ralityi of w circumferentiallyspaced :openings for;

viewing the aindiciain. sets,- manuallyoperable means on said dialextending through oneof said openings for shiftingi the-dial between aplurality of viewable positions; and -means interconnecting said dialand; ;thecontrol means :whereby movement ofthe dial effects a change inthe speed of operation ofthe clockwork mechanism.

d A-multi-speedtimen comprising a frame, a clockwork-mechanism mountedon the frame and including an escape "wheel operable ltoucause saidmechanism :to -.operate. at a, predetermined speed, a palletselectively. movable into engagement with the escape wheelto :retard themovement thereof wherebysaid-mechanism:will operate at a speedslowerethan said predetermined speed, means for shiftingsaidpallettoward andfrom said escape wheel includingmotion transmittingmeans movably supported: by said frame; a dial movable relative to saidframe betweenia plurality of viewable--.-positions,: and-meanson saiddial engageable withrsaid motion transmitting means where by movementof.said ;dia1 willefiect movement of saidpallet.

7. Almulti speed timer comprising .a frame, a clockwork mechanismmounted on the frame and including eneseape wheel operable. to causesaid. mechanismrto operate at. a predetermined speed. apalletselectively movable into engagement with said .escapelwheellto. retardthe movement there of. whereby said.. mechanism,.will. operate at aspeed slower: thanisaid predetermined speed; a dial moveablexrelativetosaid frame, means-associated with said dial having a plurality ofopenings for viewing1the :same;:said dial being movable betweentaplurality of positions relative to said last mentionedmeans; and meansinterconnectingssaid dial and .said pallet whereby movementof'said'sdial .willieffect movement of said pallet;

8. A multi-speed' timer comprising a frame, a clockwork mechanismmounted on the frame and including an tescape'wheel operable to causesaid mechanism to operatexat a predetermined speed, apalletselectivelymovable into engagement with theescapewheol to retardthe movement thereof wherebysaid mechanism will operate at a speedslower than said predetermined speed, a dial rotatably mounted relativeto said frame and having circumferentially spaced indicia arranged insets alongoneside facethereof, a face plate covering saiddial and havinga plurality of circumferentiallyspaced openings for viewing the indicia,said dial being movable relative to said face plate between a pluralityof positions whereby said indicia are viewable in sets, meansinterconnecting said dial and said pallet whereby movementpf said dialwill effect movement of said pallet, and manually operable actuatingmeans on said dial for rotating the same.

EDWARD J. DOYLE.

References Cited inrthe file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date" 1,99%);126 Gardner Apr. 23, 1935 2,5e3,032 Laviana Feb. 27,1951

